A Second Chance
by Gijinka Renamon
Summary: AU What if Zelos had a chance to make things right? MAJOR SPOILERS WARNING


A Second Chance

Disclaimer: Tales of Symphonia is not mine and it never will be. Otherwise, I wouldn't be telling you this.

Ok, it always bugged me that Zelos betrayed the group, and he either switched sides again, or died in battle, depending on how you play the game. But what if things were different?

I think there may be others like this, but I'm doing this story anyway, so there. Nyah!

(I pull down one eyelid and stick out my tongue)

Read on if you've already gotten past this point in the game, or you really don't mind spoilers. Otherwise, leave now.

Oh, and one more thing: This fic may not be exactly like the game, so don't get mad if it's different, alright?

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_Zelos Wilder. . ._

Two pale blue eyes belonging to a red-haired man flashed open at the sound of a beautiful voice that echoed through his ears.

He looked around at his surroundings with a mixture of fear and surprise. As far as the eye could see was a white plain that stretched for miles and was only interrupted by the strange, colorful shapes that floated here and there.

"Ooookay. Either I'm dead, or this is one big hallucination."

_I'm afraid it's the former._

He spun around and saw a beautiful young woman looking at him. She had long blond hair, and sad eyes that pierced his soul. Naturally, his first reaction was to go into pretty girl mode.

"Well helloooo my beautiful chickadee! Come here often?"

The woman smiled, although it was a rather sad one.

_Yes, in a way. But listen to me I have something very important to tell you. The fate of both worlds is in peril, and Lloyd Irving needs all the help he can get.  
_  
"So…what does this have to do with me?"

_You died betraying the others, did you not?_

Zelos blinked in suprise. How did she know that?

"Yeah…heheheheh…"He laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head.

The woman stepped closer to him. _But I know you have a good heart, and despite your, um, quirks, are not as dense as you look._

"Uh, thanks…I think…"

_That's why,_ the woman continued, _I'm giving you your life. _

"Wait, what did you say?"

_I'm going to use all the power I've been saving for thousands of years to bring you back to life._ She added._ Just don't screw up again._

Zelos smirked cockily. "You can count on me!"

The woman smiled, though this time, it was a happy one._ Good. Now let's begin._

She held out her arms, and started chanting in another language as a white orb of light appeared in her hands. Tendrils of energy ran off its smooth surface.

Suddenly, the energy tendrils leapt off the orb, and surrounded him. Zelos started to panic before he remembered he was already dead. The glowing ropes constricted his body, and he felt a sudden jolt of pain.

Just before everything went black, he heard the woman say, _Good luck, Zelos…_

_

* * *

_When he awoke, the first thing he was aware of was a stabbing pain in his head. 

"Ow… that's it. No more red wine for me."

Pulling himself into an upright position, he took an Apple Gel out of his pocket and began chewing on it. "Ok, so now what?"

_All of a sudden, he heard a voice in his mind. Find the Chosen…_

Surprised, he jumped to his feet. "Woah! Am I hearing things?"

_No you aren't. Now go, before it is too late!_

"Ok, ok, sheesh. What I' do for a pretty face."

* * *

Meanwhile, Lloyd had just reached the room where Mithos (in his Yggdrasil form at the moment) was holding Colette. When he came in, he saw the girl lying in a strange vessel. Floating over her head was what looked like a huge crystal flower, with the image of a young woman in it. Mithos himself was standing nearby, a smile on his face. 

"It's almost time, dear sister," he said to himself. "This girl's body has the closest match to your Mana signature. Soon, we will be together again…"

Just then, Pronyma arrived. "Pardon me, my lord," she said, "but the Mana charge is complete."

"Good. Start the transfer immediately!"

"LET HER GO!"

The two of them spun around to see Lloyd standing there, with both swords out and a look of anger on his face. Mithos frowned.

"How did you get in here? Never mind, I'll take care of you myself!"

But before he could do anything, he was struck by a barrage of fireballs, and then a boy's voice shouted, "You leave him alone!"

They spun around and saw the rest of Lloyd's group looking at them from a ledge high above the room.

"But..." Lloyd stammered in shock. "I thought…"

Sheena grinned. "You didn't think we'd miss this, did you?"

The entire group jumped down to the ground and readied their weapons.

"Ok, Mithos," exclaimed Lloyd as he held up his swords. "This ends now!"

The angel only sneered. "Do you honestly think you can stop me? How pathetic!" He lifted one hand to shoot out an energy ball at Lloyd, who raised his arms to defend himself…

Suddenly, a figure leapt out of nowhere and jumped in front of him, effectively shielding the young swordsman from the blow. Lloyd looked up and saw a familiar face grinning back at him.

"Hey, who said you could start the party without me?"

Lloyd's jaw dropped open. "Zelos!" he exclaimed incredulously, "But how…?"

"Never mind that," Zelos answered, drawing his sword, "Let's take this guy down!"

Behind them, Sheena sweatdropped as she whispered to herself, "I guess some things never change…"

"Indeed." Regal muttered, mostly to himself.

"Enough of this!" Mithos shouted. "Go get them Pronyma!"

The woman nodded, and raised her arms, dark figures holding scythes appearing beside her. Then, the battle began in earnest.

The melee fighters, Presea, Regal, and Lloyd rushed at them, slashing and (in Regal's case) kicking. Zelos also joined them in attacking with slashing attacks, occasionally using spells. Genis and Raine unleashed powerful magic, with the latter often taking time to heal the others. Sheena attacked with her cards, and summoned the elemental spirits whenever she had the chance. Finally, Pronyma and the two beings fell in defeat.

The dying woman reached up towards Mithos, who was looking at the capsule holding Colette. "L…lord Yggdrasil, pl-please help me…" she gasped, coughing up some blood.

Yggdrasil ignored her. "After all these years…my sister is finally coming back to me!" he whispered, not taking his eyes off ofthe vessel.

"Lord Yggdrasil…Mithos…please…"

The angel spun around, his eyes flashing angrily. "I told you to never call me that!" he yelled, blasting her with an energy ball. Pronyma let out one final scream of agony before her body vanished.

"You bastard!" Lloyd shouted angrily, "What did she ever do to you?"

"Only my companions can call me by that name," Mithos said with an icy calmness that made the hairs on the back of Zelos's neck stand up.

_I really wanted to join this guy? I must been nuts!_ He thought.

Suddenly, a ringing noise caught their attention. Mithos turned towards the capsule again, a smile stretching across his face. The woman's image had vanished from the crystal.

"At last! It is done!" he exclaimed, pushing a button that opened the capsule. Lloyd's group watched petrified as the girl slowly woke up and climbed out.

"No…Colette…" Lloyd whispered softly.

The girl looked around and asked, "Where am I?"

They noticed that the voice that came out of her mouth was not that of a teenage girl's but that of a young woman's. She had a beautiful, sad voice that made you feel like you were safe. Other than Mithos/Yggdrasil, Zelos was the only one who recognized it.

_Woah! That's the same woman I met when I was dead! _Zelos thought in amazement. _Okay, now things have just gone from weird to just plain freaky!_

Mithos stepped forward, still smiling. "Martel…my dear sister…"

The look on the girl's face changed from confusion to sadness. "Mithos…what have you done?"

"Huh? Oh, you mean this body? I had to make myself look older so I would look like the leader of Cruxis. Hold on a minute and I'll return to my true form."

There was a sudden flash of light, and when it cleared, the younger version of Mithos was standing in his place. The girl only shook her head.

"No, that's not what I meant. For years, I've been watching you, and all of the mistakes you've made. Have you forgotten everything we did to stop the Ancient War just so everyone could live in peace?"

The young angel blanched. "W-what are you saying?"

"Mithos. Please listen to me. Stop this foolishness, please, I beg of you! Do it for me, and for everyone else!"

And suddenly, she was gone, leaving only a rather confused Colette behind. Mithos just stood there, shaking his head.

"No. Martel would never say anything like that! She wouldn't!"

Like a child throwing a tantrum, Mithos lashed out at everyone and everything around him, unleashing massive energy bursts.

"Look out!" Raine shouted, as a blast headed towards them.

The group took shelter behind a piece of rubble that had fallen when Mithos had started going crazy.

"Geez and I thought _I_ had a bad temper!" Lloyd commented dryly.

"Knock it off," Sheena muttered. "We have to stop him!"

"Yes, but how?" Presea asked.

Suddenly, a violet blur streaked past them. Lloyd blinked. "Is-is that Kratos?"

"Looks like it," observed Zelos.

"Mithos!" Kratos's voice was loud and clear. "End this now!"

Mithos sneered as he faced him. "Ah, Kratos. At one time you were the master, and I was the pupil, but now things have changed, for now I am the master."

"Only a master of evil." Kratos replied coolly. (AN: I just couldn't resist putting a few Star Wars lines in here. You have to admit that both Tales of Symphonia and Star Wars have a few similarities)

"I have spared you once, Mithos told him angrily, "But this is your last chance. Leave these fools behind, and join me forever, or die!"

Kratos only closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he said, "No. I will not stand idly by while millions of lives perish because of your selfish wish. Martel would not want this."

"S-shut up! How would you know what she would want!"

"Mithos, please. Stop this before more lives are lost."

"Y-you're betraying me, aren't you?"

"I am merely following my heart and doing what I should have done in the first place; and that is to help my son and his friends in their quest to reunite the worlds."

"Dad…" Lloyd whispered silently.

Mithos practicallyturned livid with rage. "You'll all pay for your insolence!" he snarled, turning back into his Yggdrasil form. He rushed forward, casting spells with fury.Lloyd and the othersfought with everything they had.

Finally, the Angel fell back, gasping in pain. "Fine then. I'm going home to Derris-Kharlan, and I'm taking my sister with me!" And with that, he was gone.

The room was filled with a heavy silence that was only penetrated when Genis asked softly, "Is it over?"

Kratos shook his head. "No, we still have to reunite the worlds. And we can't do that without the Great Seed or the Eternal Sword, which means you have to break Origin's seal."

Lloyd instantly went pale when he heard this. "B-but that means-!"

"Yes, I will die, but if it will reunite the two worlds, then so be it. I will be waiting for you in Torent Forest." With that, he turned and walked off.

Lloyd grinned. "Alright. We'll be there!"

Kratos stopped and smiled back at them. "I know you will."

When he left, everyone turned to face Zelos.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" he asked stupidly.

Sheena just shook her head. "No, it's just that…you…you were dead!"

"Indeed," Regal added. "Dead people normally do not return to life sometime after their death."

"Zelos grinned. "Heh, well, I had a little help. You see…"

"Ahem. Now is not the time for stories," Presea said in her usual monotone voice. "We need to leave as soon as possible."

"Yeah," agreed Sheena. "We have to get out of here!"

"This way!" shouted Zelos, and the rest of the group followed him, albeit a bit cautiously, as he had betrayed them once before.

Zelos looked backed and smiled to himself. Whatever happened, he would follow this rag-tag band of outcasts caught up in the middle of something bigger than any of them could have imagined until the end of the world.

Because now he had a second chance. And this time, he would do things right.

**Owari

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**

Well, did you like it or hate it? (If it's the latter, then don't review. I can't stand criticism, even if it helps me with future work.)

Huh. This is my first non-song/vidfic Tales of Symphonia story I've been able to finish!


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